PZ Myers declares his disaffiliation from the skeptic movement (so he is now only an atheist, and not what I call a "skepto-atheist"). Massimo Pigliucci will not miss him, but sees trouble within the movement:

I think the primary problem with the skeptic movement — of which I am and remain a proud member — is that too many people, both among the “leaders” and the rank-and-file, seem to be in it for the sheer pleasure of calling others out as idiots.

Jason Garcia at CSICOP.org describes a country in the thrall of woo, where "you will hear or see psychics, paranormalists, parapsychologists, and pseudoscientists spreading, scaring, and scamming the nation with irrational beliefs and pseudoscience through the media. You will be able to see them planting thoughts into peoples’ heads so that they can offer solutions and take people's money." I know, it sounds like the U.S., but he's talking about Indonesia.

Hardliner Islamic protesters claim persecution in Bangladesh as the justification for their deadly violence and mayhem. Meanwhile, atheist bloggers who never hurt anyone are sitting in jail.

You probably have heard about this nonsense from the right about how the Pentagon is going to court-martial soldiers for being Christian. Aside from that being laughable on its face, Politifact makes sure you know this is "mostly false." (Kind of like "mostly harmless" I guess?) Well, "mostly" in that there is a rule against proselytization.

Elizabeth Smart, abducted by radicalized fundamentalist Mormons and forced into a polygamous marriage at the age of 14, is now trying to educate children about sexual crimes with her foundation, and recently told an audience at Johns Hopkins what a problem abstinence-only education is, as it made her as an assault victim feel "dirty and filthy" and a "chewed up piece of gum."

Point of Inquiry has a new social media intern, which is why you see so many more tweets coming from its account! Welcome Ed Cara, who has perhaps the best headshot of anyone at CFI right now.

[S]alvation promises an afterlife with forgiveness, a second chance to set things right. Unfortunately, this cheapens our actions in the here and now, for there is no need to be responsible in the first place. To the converse, secular humanists believe in one finite life, where all your actions are permanent and have consequences.

In another letter, this time to the Asbury Park Press, Borden Applegate pulls no punches:

When atheists start burning down churches, blowing up reproductive clinics, murdering doctors and raping children with the frequency of some religious organizations, then let’s talk about how atheists are eroding the basis of our morality and are not good Americans.

Yowza.

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Linking to a story or webpage does not imply endorsement by Paul or CFI. Not every use of quotation marks is ironic or sarcastic, but it often is.

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Paul Fidalgo has been communications director of the Center for Inquiry since 2012. He holds a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University, and has worked previously for FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy and the Secular Coalition for America. Paul is also an actor and musician whose work includes five years performing with the American Shakespeare Center. He lives in Maine with his wife and kids. His blog is Near-Earth Object, and he tweets at @paulfidalgo.